The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-09
THE SHOOTING CLUBS
OF THE RICH MEN OF CHICAGO
AND VICINITY.
beers of the PeIee Island Club Es-
tinsated 20 he $50. 100000.

CHICAGO, Ill, May 6.-1he Mail
says that very few people, even among
those who believe themselves we'll up
in social gossip, have any idea of the
number Of shooting aud fi9hiDg clubs
that have been made up by Chiosgo
men, or Of the preserves and estab-
liahments held by them. Outside, for
in t1nce, of the 'eW hundred men who
go duck shooting just as regularly as
the birds fly South in the fall and
North in the spring, there are not
hundred people who know that at
Swan lake, n az Henry, Ill, the ub
Ct which Sam Chase is president owns
and o 1888 1000 acres of land, and has
clubhouse which cost $4,000 to
build and furnish. Down East the
rich man who love sport have one or
two preserves on Long Island, where
the ponds and rivers are stocked with
trout, and where shooting box.s have
been built. But there Is 30 very little
game left any where around New York
that it is no wonder that the lovers OF
sport are almost altogether without
b Gods down there ride AT or the anise
seed bags. Out here II is very DIFF
ferent. There are still thousands
Il slds not yet staked out, aud the good
fellows who love sport have been as
ssalously at work to guard the terri
tory "a they have to prevent that
other Notwithstanding out OF sea-
son. A half iczsn of the Swan lake
shots have hagped 100 ducks in q day.
There are more than q dozen CLUBS
made up by Chicago sportsmen, and
they control probably between them
10000 acres Of the best shooting lands
in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and
Wisconsin. Ia the Pelse Island Club,
the membership OF which ia limitedto
twenty-five, the aggregate wealth has
been over and over again figured at
&80,0C0,000. This would make the
average over 81 900, 900 for each menu
Der in that aristoCra,ic organiElti
They own the whole island. 1t is in
Canada waters, and famed rather for
the excellenCs of its fishing than
for It's shooting. Field, Pullman,
Doane, Letter, the Spragues,
aud about score OF others, 20 down
there with their families Each
member has his room, and furnishes
ii rs best suits his own ta!te. The
pocketbook5 ara 30 nearly Of a size
that all the apartms nts are furnished
with a msgniii 1ence that is unknown
anywhere else around that country.
The Tolleston Club is the Oldest OF
them all. 1t has had its preserve and
clubhouse now nearly twenty years.
ALI the clever sportsmen OF the city
have at one time or another been on
its rolls. Next to the Psslee, too, 1t is
probably the richest shooting club in
the country, certainly the richest in
the West. 1t has about 1000 acres OF
lands that once were as fac as any
ever shot over, aad its membership Ia
drawn from the Chicago, Ca umet and
Union Clubs of this city. Twenty
years shooting by men who are good
spor smen ought to spoil any territory,
aud it has half spoiled the Tollestou.
This is why Ed Bangs aud Sam
Chase and George Ball and L J. Lsh-
NAM, and L. A. Kimbsll,
Nat Jones, Billy Linn, John
Oliver, Gus Schwartz, Phil STAN
ley, and the other good fellows who
make up the fifty, founded the Swan
Lake OluD, 1ney I0und the game
plentier over the swamps ef the Hi
nois river in the vicinity OF Henry
than anywhere else. The result is
that they have now standing right at
the head Of their 1000 acre preserve q
picture que club house, beautifully
furnished, with dining rooms,
kitchen, gunrooms and thirteen bad.
chambers. The E0glsh Lake Shoot.
ing Club has about 5000 acres OF good
swamp land In Wisconsin. The Hen
nepin Club has about 1000 acres
north OF and adjacent to the Swan
lake preserve There is a very good
crowd in the Fox Lake Club, and 1t
controls some excellent territory.
There are the Cumberland and the
Clubs. One shooting club,
the Kosbkonag, has famous Wiscon-
sin swamp, where the members
seldom draw bead except on q canvas
back. Another Wisconsin club, one
Of the Oldest and best, is the Nee Pc
Nank.